The Mistress And The Slave
by Ghostwriter
Summary: AU. For years, Jason's only known the life of a servant. What happens when he and his new Mistress fall in love?
1. Chapter One

THE MISTRESS AND THE SLAVE

AUTHOR'S NOTE/DISCLAIMER

Goes along with the two trailers I did. I have absolutely **no idea** where this came from so don't ask. In this universe, the only Rangers are the Space Rangers---T.J., Ashley, Carlos, Cassie, Zhane, and Andros---which will be important later on. This is extremely AU, so no saying that someone's not in character. Power Rangers belongs to Haim Saban, Fox Kids, and Disney. I only own the plot.

He was about to get sold again. He could feel it. When you had been a slave for as long as Jason had, you tended to pick up on the signs. His current owner, Lord Zedd, had put out a call to the United Alliance of Evil and everyone knew that when a call was put out it meant an auction. Like all slaves, Jason hated the auctions, but he was smart enough to keep his mouth shut. Those who didn't got punished. Just then, Zedd's chief warriors, Goldar and Scorpina, stepped into view.

"Line up!" Goldar shouted. Immediately, everyone scrambled to do as instructed. Hesitating would result in severe punishment. Immediately, they were grouped together and put in transparent force fields. Jason looked to the boy standing next to him. It was Zack, a boy who he had been friends with for a long time before Earth's enslavement. Zack gave him a small smile, but he didn't respond. He never did. Everyone tensed as members of the UAE approached. A woman with black hair and dressed in a one-piece corset type pirate costume approached them.

"Who's that?" Zack whispered.

"No clue," Jason answered. He had never seen her before. Zedd went out to greet her.

"Ah, Divatox. How may I be of service to you?" he asked. Divatox chuckled.

"I'm looking for a male slave. One that's fit and can---meet my desires---shall I say?" she responded.

"Ah, yes. I believe I have one that would be **perfect** for you," he stated. Then, he pointed his staff at Jason, who was almost instantly at their side. The boy kept his eyes focused on the ground. Masters and Mistresses didn't like it when you looked at them in the eye. Divatox chuckled again as she ran a hand over his shoulders and down his right arm. Unnoticed, the boy gritted his teeth. _Please don't be a breeder. Please don't be a breeder_, he begged silently. Breeders were the worst. They made you have sex with anyone or anything in order to produce future soldiers for the UAE. Divatox laughed in approval.

"Yes, he'll satisfy me quite nicely," she stated.

"Excellent," his master said. Divatox gave Zedd a bag of money and Jason was thrown towards the woman, who immediately grabbed him.

"You're mine now, Pet," she said in his ear. Then, they disappeared from the palace and reappeared in a submarine. Without a word, Divatox pulled him towards her chambers, threw him onto her bed, and then straddled him, removing his jeans at the same time. With a silent sigh, Jason gave himself to his new Mistress.


	2. Chapter Two

DISCLAIMER

Power Rangers belongs to Haim Saban, Fox Kids, and Disney. I only own the plot.

A FEW YEARS LATER

Jason sighed and leaned against the wall of his room, which was in reality, nothing more than a small cell. _I hate this. I wish there was something I could do_, he thought to himself. Hearing footsteps, he quickly straightened up and by the time Divatox had opened the door, he was standing in front of her, eyes on the floor.

"Hello, Mistress," he greeted.

"Hello, Pet," she acknowledged. Then, she grabbed his chin, forcing his eyes upward. She leaned forward and placed her lips on his, resulting in a hard kiss. With her other hand, she caressed his body going lower and lower until she had reached his jeans button. He didn't protest as his jeans were unfastened and then dropped to the floor. That wasn't the way things worked. She was his Mistress and could do whatever she wanted to him. She pushed him against the wall, and started exploring his body with both hands. She placed a leg between his and rubbed up against him.

"Such a good little Pet," she purred. He winced as the hem of her outfit touched his crotch. Noting his expression, she smirked.

"What's the matter, Pet? Not enjoying yourself?" she taunted. He said nothing and averted his gaze. "Tell me, do you like it when I do **this**?" she reached down and gave his member a squeeze. He let out a soft grunt. "Or how about when I do…**this**?" he moaned as her sensual stroking caused his body to respond by tightening. She smirked again and continued her actions, causing the young man's body to become aroused.

"Please…Mistress…Please," he begged. He needed release. However, her only response was to give him another squeeze as she began kissing his chest. Jason moaned as he felt the bulge increase. He needed to release soon or he'd explode. "Mistress…Please?" She smiled at the strangled question. She knew what her slave wanted, but he wasn't going to get it just yet.

"Be a good Pet and keep your mouth shut," she told him, as she lifted up the shirt and left her marked kisses all over him. Instantly, he fell silent and she removed his shirt. Then, she pressed against him fully. Feeling the tight bulge, she smirked and leaned in close.

"You want me, Pet?" she whispered in his ear. His shoulders slumped. She wanted to play games this morning. He **hated** when she got like this.

"Yes, Mistress," he answered.

"You really want me, Pet?"

"Yes, Mistress."

"Do you like our time alone together?"

"Yes, Mistress." She let her fingers press gently on his crotch and he keened, resulting in a terrible grin. She **loved** torturing her Pet. Making him debase himself for her, making him beg for release…it was a rush. He keened again and she kissed him soundly, all the while escalating pressure to his crotch. Finally, she pulled away.

"What a good Pet. Go ahead," she told him. As he was finally able to release the tension in his body, Jason's throat muscles constricted. Divatox slapped his thigh.

"Get dressed. We have a meeting," she instructed before walking out. Jason let out a shaky breath, ran his fingers through his hair, and did as he was instructed. When she came back, she grabbed his arms, put gold chains around them, and teleported off. Once they landed on the moon for the meeting, Divatox yanked on the chains holding Jason and stomped off, causing him to stumble.

"All right, all right. I'm here. Let's get this show on the road," she grumbled as she sat down by Rita and her husband Zedd. From across the table, the Princess of Evil, Astronema, was just sitting down when she noticed the arrivals.

"Divatox," she muttered darkly. The woman was psycho and irritating. Why she was always invited to these meetings were beyond her. Then, she caught sight of the young man next to space pirate and leaned forward for a better look.

"Ecliptor, who's the young man sitting next to Divatox?" she whispered.

"That is her slave, my Princess," her bodyguard and father, figure, Ecliptor, answered. He was a green and black creature who had been appointed as Astronema's instructor and protector when she was very young, roles he took very seriously.

"He's cute," she noted. At the comment, Ecliptor looked at her. From his position at the table, Jason noticed a woman with bluish, purple hair. _Who's that?_ he wondered with interest, taking in her armored suit. She was cute. A tug on his chains brought him out of his reverie and he turned glanced at Divatox before turning his gaze back to the table.

"What do you think **you**'**re** looking at?" she sneered.

"Nothing, Mistress. My apologies," he answered, staring at the table. She sneered and turned her attention back to Dark Specter. Astronema knew that Dark Specter was speaking, but only half heard him as her gaze kept returning to Divatox's slave. He **was** good-looking and she would probably get a lot of use out of him. But there was something else about him. She just couldn't put her finger on it. Presently, Dark Specter noticed that Astronema wasn't giving him her full attention and he frowned. That wasn't like her. He followed her gaze to Divatox's slave. _Ah, I see_, he thought. He was quite aware of the rivalry between the two and was sure Astronema's piqued interest would bring some surprising results. After the meeting, Astronema walked right up to Divatox.

"What do **you** want?" the space pirate sneered.

"Your slave," came the immediate answer.

"Hah!" Divatox scoffed. "This is Pet is **mine**. Get your own," she snarled, pulling Jason closer.

"How **dare** you take that tone with me? **I**'**m** the Princess of Evil," Astronema reminded her.

"Some Princess. You can't even destroy the Power Rangers," Divatox sneered. Jason's eyes clouded at the words. Power Rangers. They were a small group of resistance fighters who were working to free slaves. So far, they had made minimal progress, but there were whispers that someday soon, Earth would be freed. To Jason, it just sounded like a pipe dream. Rita had enslaved them all years ago and when Zedd had come back, he had rewarded her service with a marriage ceremony.

"Just you wait. The Power Rangers **will** be destroyed," Astronema told her. "Now then, as for this slave of yours…"

"I told you, Sweetie: the Pet is **mine**." She yanked on Jason's shackles again, knocking him to the ground.

"Ecliptor! Bring me my bag of jewels!" Astronema called.

"Jewels? Did you say jewels?" Divatox queried, her voice rising in excitement. Ecliptor did as Astronema instructed.

"Take a look, Divatox. Perhaps this would be sufficient payment for your slave?" Divatox took the bag and excitedly rummaged through it. She laughed and squealed. Then, she looked to Jason. _My Pet. She wants my Pet_, she reminded herself. But those jewels! Mama D would be so proud of her! Making a decision, she threw Jason at Astronema.

"Here. Take him. He was getting boring anyways," she stated.

"Come on," Astronema said, tugging lightly on the chains. Jason followed her and her henchman to her ship, the Dark Fortress. They had just reached the doorway when Divatox's voice rang out.

"Hey! You tricked me! These aren't real jewels! They're only rocks!" she exclaimed. Jason looked to her.

"I'll do anything you say and whatever you want if you don't give me back," he quickly promised.

"Stuff your promises, slave. I have no intention of giving you back anyway," she stated. Then, looking at Divatox, "Ta-ta." With that, the door to the ship closed and they took off.


	3. Chapter Three

DISCLAIMER

Power Rangers belongs to Haim Saban, Fox Kids, and Disney. I only own the plot. This chapter switches perspectives, so I apologize in advance for any confusion.

On the Dark Fortress, Jason was escorted to the back of the ship by two Quantrons. His shackles were removed and he was placed in a cell. He sighed and rubbed his wrists. At least he didn't have to wear those freakin' things for the time being. _I wonder what she wants with me_, he thought to himself. He felt the ship speed up and he steadied himself as best as he could. Hearing footsteps, he tensed and backed up as far as possible, which wasn't really far given the small space. The door opened and the henchman that Jason had noticed threw him a water bottle.

"Thank you, Master," he murmured, keeping his eyes down.

"You can call me Ecliptor," the creature stated.

"Thank you, Ecliptor," came the response and Jason opened the bottle and took small sips. Ecliptor stared at the young man, and then walked away. Jason put the water bottle to the side. Yeah, he was still thirsty, but he'd have to make the water last. There was no telling what his new Mistress was like. At least the water wasn't drugged in this place. **That** had been a nightmare. It had been shortly after Rita had enslaved Earth and he had been bought by his first Master, a creature whose name he didn't even remember. But what he **did** remember was his sadistic pleasure in offering food and water to his slaves only to have them discover that the items had been drugged. On the bridge of the Dark Fortress, Ecliptor walked up to Astronema.

"I have done as you requested, Princess," he reported.

"Excellent. If he's going to be my slave, I want him to be hydrated," she stated.

"Astronema, you have never taken an interest in a slave before. What made this one so different?"

"I don't know, Ecliptor. There was just something that drew me toward him." Just then, the transmission screen came on.

"Astronema! Give me back my slave! You tricked me! It wasn't a sale! You stole him!"

"Oh, but it **was** a sale, Divatox. Just because you got greedy, doesn't mean we didn't deal fair and square."

"I'm telling Dark---" With a roll of her eyes, Astronema cut off the transmission. _What a whiney brat_, she thought to herself. Then, she turned to Ecliptor.

"Program the computer to screen her transmissions and rate them from low to high priority," she instructed.

"As you wish, my Princess," he said and immediately went to do so. Astronema then left to check on her new slave. Jason was taking another sip of water when he heard the door to his cell open. Immediately, he stood up and stood in front of the door, eyes down.

"You're well-trained. That's good," Astronema approved.

"I'm glad you approve, Mistress," Jason responded. Astronema circled him, eying his muscular frame. _Well, I can certainly see why Divatox was so fond of him_, she thought to herself. Had he been a new slave, Jason would've shifted uncomfortably at the probing gaze, but by now, he was used to it. All of his previous Masters and Mistresses had done it and he was sure future Masters and Mistresses would do so as well. When she was done looking him over, the woman stopped in front of him.

"Look at me." Surprised, Jason did as he was told.

"A hazel brown. Very nice." He looked at her confusion. What was she getting at? She glanced at the water bottle.

"Not very thirsty?" Jason froze.

"Forgive me, Mistress." He bent down to retrieve the bottle, but she stopped him.

"Drink at your own pace." _Okay, this is different_, Jason thought to himself. Astronema was just as surprised as her new slave. _What are you doing? You're the Princess of Evil. Stop being kind to him_, she berated herself.

"Thank you, Mistress," Jason finally managed to murmur. She scoffed.

"Whatever." She shoved him back and then stomped off. Jason shook his head. _Weird_, he thought to himself. Then, he sat down and tried to make himself as comfortable as possible. Then, despite himself, he closed his eyes. The next thing he knew, there was a jolting sensation as if the ship had been hit. _What in the world?_ he wondered. What was going on? In the Astro Megaship, Andros, the Red Ranger, was at the helm while his teammates, Ashley, the Yellow Ranger, T.J., the Blue Ranger, Cassie, the Pink Ranger, Carlos, the Black Ranger, and Zhane, the Silver Ranger, flanked him at the controls.

"Fire again!" Andros commanded. Zhane launched the missiles.

"If we take out Astronema, there'll be one less villain to worry about," Ashley declared.

"Hopefully Dark Specter won't have someone lined up to take her place as the Princess of Evil," Zhane commented. The Astro Megaship shook when lasers from the dark Fortress hit them.

"Fire again!" Andros ordered. Back in the Dark Fortress, Jason tried to steady himself. _Man, this can__**not**__ be good_, he thought to himself. Hopefully his Mistress would defeat whoever she was fighting. If she won the battle, there was less of a chance that she'd be unhappy and take it out on him. Finally, the ship stopped shaking. _Did she win?_ he wondered.

"Astronema!" Ecliptor helped the woman to her feet. "My Princess, are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm all right." Then, "Check on the slave. Make sure he's uninjured. After all, he'll be of little use to me if he's damaged." Ecliptor nodded and went to do so. In his cell, Jason shakily rose to his feet and then cautiously tested his limbs. _Okay, I'm not hurt. That'll please them_, he thought to himself. The door opened and he immediately dropped his gaze.

"I can work, Master."

"Ecliptor."

"Ecliptor."

"Astronema will be pleased to hear it." Then, he shut the door, once again leaving Jason alone.


	4. Chapter Four

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Super ZEO Silver: Thanks. Here's more.

JasonLeeScottFan: Thanks. I'm glad. Hope this is soon enough.

DISCLAIMER

Power Rangers belongs to Haim Saban, Fox Kids, and Disney. I only own the plot. The Astro Rangers **will** be making sporadic appearances for awhile, since I have an idea of how I went this to go, but haven't quite worked out all of the details.

To Jason's surprise, he wasn't put to work that night. Instead, Astronema just kept him in his room. _What's she playing at?_ he wondered. Was it a form of torture? Make a slave feel secure enough to let their guard down and then make her move? Jason shook his head. It didn't matter. He was the slave and she was his Mistress. She could do whatever she wanted. _I might as well go to sleep. I'm sure Mistress will have me up early_, he thought. Then, he began lifting up his shirt. He hissed in pain. Apparently, he had been knocked around harder than he thought during the ship's skirmish. Carefully, he continued his task. Finally, the item was off, revealing various crisscrossing slashes, burns, and other marks. His chest was similarly adorned. Looking down, he saw that he was right: he had been knocked around a bit. _Oh, well. It's not like Mistress will care_ _as long as I can work_, he reminded himself. Then he lay on the floor and closed his eyes. It had seemed like had just done so when there were footsteps at his door. Immediately, Jason was on his feet, fully clothed. The door opened to reveal Astronema.

"You're going to be on cleanup duty. Let's go.' With that, he followed her. Cleanup duty turned out to be pretty much just busy work and not very hard. But it got annoying when some of her other henchmen would deliberately leave things out. But he was smart enough not to complain. Presently, his stomach growled and he gritted his teeth. _Ignore it_, he told himself. He'd get food only if his Mistress allowed it. Pushing the feeling of hunger aside, Jason continued his assignment. Suddenly, he heard a strangled scream. Unable to hide his surprise, he jumped and turned. The scream came again followed by a strange roar. Two Quantrons looked at each other, but said nothing. _Okay, note to self: don't end up like __**that**__ guy_, Jason thought. Then, he returned his attention back to what he had been told to do. At the end of the day, Jason went back to his room, turning in early and getting up early. This pattern continued for several weeks, with each day finding Jason completing a new task. Each day, as he did as his Mistress commanded. Throughout all of this, Jason couldn't help sneaking quick glances at her. _Man, why am I acting this way around her? She's a Mistress and I'm a slave_, he thought. It didn't make sense. He couldn't be attracted to her. He mentally shook his head. It had to have been side effects from serving under Mistress Divatox. He was probably confused because of what she had put him through. Either that or there was something weird in the food and drinks she allowed him to have. Astronema glanced at her slave, and then quickly turned her eyes. _ What's wrong with me? How can I be falling for a slave? I'm the Princess of Evil_, she reminded herself. She was being groomed by Dark Specter to some day take his place. She didn't have time for a paltry romance. And even if she did, it **certainly** wouldn't be with a slave she had bought. However, as the weeks went by, she was dismayed to realize that the feelings were still there, and that by the looks of things, they weren't just one-sided. Her slave was attracted to her as well. Seeing his Mistress watching him, Jason quickly lowered his gaze and went back to work, polishing a Quantron's spear. Suddenly, he was shocked from behind. Surprised, he stumbled, bumping into a Quantron. The minion grabbed him and threw him against the wall. Jason gritted his teeth in pain, but otherwise did nothing. The creature that had shocked him laughed heartily. The slave was going to get it. Two Quantrons held Jason as the one he bumped into took the spear that had dropped to the ground and then jammed it into his shoulder. Unable to stop himself, he let out a grunt of pain. The spear was then slowly inched out. _Please…please let me pass out_, he silently begged as he dropped to his knees in pain.

"What is going on here?" a voice demanded. The Quantrons stood at attention as their leader approached them. "Shocktron, what happened?" she demanded.

"The slave got clumsy and fell on a Quantron. They were just giving him his punishment," Shocktron responded. Huffing, she pushed past her subjects and then knelt down in front of her slave.

"Brace yourself. This is going to hurt." Jason curled his hands into fists as she pulled the spear out. With a cry, he toppled to the ground.

"Quantrons! Get him to the infirmary! **Now**!" A group of the soldiers quickly did as they were told. Then, turning to some of the other robots, "And as for Shocktron…put him in with Scruddly." He was grabbed and dragged off. A terrible smile grew on Astronema's face as she heard the growls of her pet followed by anguished screams. In the infirmary, Jason had gotten his wound cleaned and disinfected. However, the main problem was getting him to stay there.

"Will you lie down?" Ecliptor requested, once again pushing him down.

"What about work, Master?" Jason queried.

"Ecliptor," the thing corrected. Jason just looked at him in confusion. _Why doesn't he want me getting back to work? I'm not that injured_, he thought to himself. Just then they heard footsteps and Jason immediately began to rise.

"Relax. You're injured," Astronema told him.

"Mistress?" he asked in confusion.

"Ecliptor, leave us," she ordered. He did so. Jason lay waiting, eyes down. So that was it. She wanted to torture him in private. That must've been how she got her kicks.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Surprised at the question, he fought to keep his eyes lowered. Why was she asking him that? She was his Mistress. He knew she didn't really care.

"Yes, Mistress," was all he said.

"Look at me."

"Mistress?"

"Look at me." Slowly, Jason did as he was told. _Okay, this is getting weird_, he thought. "You have nice eyes." '_You have nice eyes'? What is wrong with you? Don't be so nice! You just came in to make sure he can work tomorrow_, she reminded herself.

"I---I should get back to work." Once again, Jason started to get up, but Astronema intercepted him by putting her hands on his shoulders. For a moment, they stared at each other. Then, they leaned in towards each other and kissed. Almost immediately, Jason pulled away and cast his eyes downward.

"Forgive me, Mistress. I don't know what came over me," he said.

"Probably the same thing that came over me," she responded, grabbing his chin and forcing it up. To his surprise, he saw actual longing in her eyes, and not just the lust Mistress Divatox usually had. She pushed him down gently; taking note of his injured shoulder, and then, started kissing his neck. Jason moaned and let his hands roam around his Mistresses' body. She leaned in close, letting her hair tickle his chest. He moaned as she placed one of her legs in between his and then seductively moved her leg upward. Feeling his body becoming aroused, Jason stiffened. Would he have to wait for her command? Noticing his change in demeanor, she looked at him.

"What is it?" Then, looking down, she noticed the arousal in his jeans. "Oh. Guess I'm doing something right." After unbuttoning his pants and moving them slightly downward, she kissed him again, letting her fingers tease his abs. He keened, trying to wait for the order to release. "Been driving me crazy. Can only think about you. Even when fighting the Rangers." Each statement was punctuated with a kiss. He placed a hand on her thigh and stroked it, causing her to moan deeply. _That pleases her. I'll have to---_the rest of his thought was cut off as she grinded her hips into him. He moaned again as she repeated her action, moving faster.

"Please, Mistress?" She slowed at his begging tone.

"What?" Why did he sound like that?

"I need to…" She froze, what he was asking finally clicking in her head.

'You never need to ask me. Let it go." At that, she felt his climax and cried out in ecstasy. Then, she collapsed on top of him. He winced slightly. "Oh! Your shoulder. Sorry." Jason said nothing, waiting for a command of some sort. "What's your name?"

"Mistress?"

"Your name. What is your name?"

"Before the enslavement, my friends called me 'Jason'."

"Jason." Astronema liked how the name sounded on her lips. "Well, then, Jason. Get some rest. If you're up to it tomorrow, I'll put you back to work." With that, she gave him another kiss, and then walked out; leaving a befuddled Jason wondering what the heck had just happened.


	5. Chapter Five

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Anonymous: Thanks. Well, glad you're warming up to it. Yeah it's different, but don't ask me where I got the idea for it, because I haven't the foggiest. Sorry this isn't soon enough.

DISCLAIMER

Sorry it's been so long between updates. Slight case of writer's block and school got in the way. Power Rangers belongs to Haim Saban, Fox Kids, and Disney. I only own the plot and the characters you don't recognize. There will be a time jump after this chap to help further along the plot.

Jason wasn't sure when he had fallen asleep, but he must have, because the next thing he was aware of was a crashing and banging. _Oh, that's not a good way to wake up_, he thought to himself. He started to get up, but a pain in shoulder caused him to fall back on his bed. _Okay, ow_, he thought to himself. Gritting his teeth, he gave sitting up another shot. Then, he pulled his shirt on and stood ready at the door. However, he soon became confused when there were no approaching footsteps. _What's going on?_ he wondered. Why wasn't Mistress coming to wake him up? Even if she had left, she would've left one of her top generals in charge. Out on the deck of the Dark Fortress, Astronema was going over a plan of attack with Ecliptor.

"So, we'll lure the Rangers here with a monster attack and then---" she began to say.

"We'll crush them!" her general finished.

"Precisely," she grinned. She smirked. _Those foolish Rangers will have no clue what hit them_, she thought. "Prepare the Quantrons. I'm going to check on J---the slave." Though noticing the near slip of the tongue, Ecliptor said nothing, but merely watched as Astronema stood up and headed back for the room that they had put the boy in. When she opened the door, he was waiting, eyes downward.

"How long have you been up?" she asked in surprise.

"Early, Mistress. My injury won't impede my work," he answered.

"Good. The ship's floors need sweeping," she told him.

"Yes, Mistress," he responded. She led him to a hallway, where she opened a closet, took out a broom, and handed it to him.

"Get to work. I want this place spotless. You'll find a bucket in the galley. Use it," she ordered. The workload was light enough where it'd be easy on his shoulder, but cumbersome enough to not let anyone think she was taking it easy on him.

"Yes, Mistress," he answered, and she left him to do the task. He went to the galley, where he found the bucket, filled it with water, and then started doing what he had been ordered. As he worked, Jason made sure to stay out of everyone's way, especially Mistress'. He knew he had gotten lucky with his work detail, though he wasn't sure why she was taking it easy on him. However, he was smart enough not to ask. He had learned a long time ago that stupid questions just got you hurt. Two hours later, though he had made some progress with cleaning the floors, he was far from done. However, his shoulder had begun to throb. He gritted his teeth and kept sweeping. _Come on. Just suck it up. Mistress is being generous_, he reminded himself. Presently, though, the pain became too much and he dropped to the broom with a soft cry. Hearing the clatter, Ecliptor quickly ran in. Hearing footsteps, Jason quickly picked up the broom.

"My apologies. It slipped," he said tightly, keeping his eyes on the floor. _Please don't hit me_, he thought to himself. Though the boy tried to hide it, Ecliptor noticed that he was favoring his right shoulder, which had been the shoulder that had injured.

"How long have you been having problems with the shoulder?" he wondered.

"M---Ecliptor?" the boy asked, still not looking at him. _Well, __**that**__'__**s**__ a start_, the creature thought.

"You can't work if you're in pain," he stated logically.

"I can manage. I promise."

"I'll get you some pain reliever." Jason almost looked up at the casual way Ecliptor stated the comment, but forced himself not to. _I guess that makes sense that they would have them seeing as how Mistress is human_, he thought to himself. The creature went to the infirmary, got what he needed, and then came back with a couple tablets of Advil and a bottle of water.

"Thank you." Jason took the items and then went back to work as Ecliptor continued on his way. Astronema, who had seen Ecliptor coming and going, stopped him.

"What's going on?"

"The slave's shoulder was bothering him. I gave him some pain relievers."

"Very good." She turned her attention to the monster that she had summoned, a creature known as Scorpitron.

"You remember the plan?"

"Yes, Mistress."

"Good. Now go!" Scorpitron nodded and then did as he was told. In the Astro Megaship, Zhane had been just about to grab a bite to eat when the ship's alarms went off. He groaned, but went to the jump tubes, along with the others.

"What is this place?" the Blue Ranger wondered.

"It's a deserted colony, much like KO-35," the Silver Ranger responded. Scorpitron roared and lunged at them.

"Ew. I hate scorpions," the Yellow Ranger said, lashing out with her Star Slinger. Scorpitron fell back with a cry of pain. Then, with a beam of light, he created a handful of miniature scorpions and then threw them at the Rangers.

"Whoa! Watch it!" the Black Ranger warned.

"Yuck!" the Pink Ranger cried, as she brought out her Satellite Stunner and fired it as the creatures. Then, she and the Yellow Ranger put their weapons together and a stream of energy struck the monster.

"So…that's the way you want to play it, huh? Fine," Astronema said. "Fire the satellasers!" It was done and the monster grew to epic proportions. Then, the Rangers called for the Astro Megazord. Scorpitron roared and struck them The Rangers worked at the controls in order to block the monster's attacks and launch their assault. A few minutes later, the monster was destroyed. Hearing Astronema's cry of rage, Jason tensed. _I guess Mistress' plan---whatever it was---didn't work_, he thought. He clutched the broom and continued his actions. He'd just have to stay out of her way…if she let him. If he was sought out, he'd have no choice in the matter, but he'd worry about that when the time came. When he was finally done, he headed for his room.

"Jason!" Hearing her voice, he stopped and turned.

"Mistress?" he asked, remembering to keep his eyes lowered.

"How's your shoulder?" she questioned, twirling a lock of her hair, which was now blonde.

"It's fine," he answered.

"Good," she said. "Are you done?"

"Yes, Mistress."

"Come with me to my chambers."

"Yes, Mistress." He followed her. Once they were in the room, she locked the door and Jason had to resist the urge to gulp in fear.

"I think we need to talk about last night."

"I apologize, Mistress. I was out of turn and will accept any punishment you deem appropriate." She walked over to him and put a gentle hand on his cheek.

"I'm not sorry. I **wanted** it to happen. But I need to know truthfully---not what you **think** I want hear---but truthfully---did **you** want it happen?" Jason was silent. Of **course** he had wanted it to happen, which was the problem. He had never wanted it before. Mistress Divatox had always forced him, and actually desiring a Mistress was new to him. Astronema pulled away. He hadn't wanted it. He had only allowed it because he thought it was expected of him. She turned from him.

"Mistress?"

"I'll not do that to you again." She walked towards the door, intending to unlock it and dismiss him. _No! Don't walk away!_ he thought frantically.

"Mistress!" He quickly grasped her arm, causing her to turn around.

"I wanted it…which is what confused me. Mistress Divatox---she didn't care what I wanted. I'm not---I'm not used to---to---"

"Desiring your Mistress?"

"Yes." Astronema looked into Jason's eyes, which were actually looking at her for once. The longing in them mirrored her own desires. She cupped a cheek with a hand and they leaned towards each other. Once their lips connected, it was as if lightning had struck. Their hands were all over each other. Astronema began leading him towards her bed. Once there, she pushed him down and straddled him.

"Mistress," he growled lustfully, as she grinded into him. He moaned as she leaned forward and her hair tickled his chest. She kissed his neck. _Man, she feels so good!_ he thought to himself, letting his hands explore her body. Astronema moaned blissfully as Jason's hands circled her hips in a caress. She began trailing kisses over his neck and chest. She grinned when she felt his body harden.

"Must be doing something right," she commented.

"Must be," he retorted, as he felt the same sensation from her. With a wave of her hand, Astronema transformed from her body armor into a shirt and pants.

"There. **Much** more comfortable." Unable to stop himself, Jason grabbed her and flipped her so that their positions were reversed. Then, realizing what he had done, he froze. _Oh, man. She's going to kill me_, he thought to him. Even if they both wanted this, she was still his Mistress and he shouldn't have taken such liberties with her.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" At the coy tone, he realized that he wasn't going to be punished and began assaulting her stomach with his lips. She moaned in pleasure and let her fingers become intertwined with his hair. He continued until he reached her waist. Then, he placed his hands on her hips. The Princess of Evil lifted her legs so that they were intertwined with his and they began to moan passionately.

"Feel---good."

"You---too." Their bodies rose and fell with each thrust. Then, before Jason knew what was happening, he was once again on the bottom.

"Strong." Astronema chuckled and undid his jeans and pulled down her pants. Then, she began rocking back and forth, causing his body to become even more aroused.

"Don't hold back." Jason's lips curved into a smile.

"I'm good, Mistress." But it was good to know that he wouldn't have to wait for a command before releasing.

"Yes, you are." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to his body until their waists were touching. Then, a wave of pleasure hit them both and they sank into the bed.


	6. Chapter Six

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

JasonLeeScottFan: Thanks. Well, read on. Thanks. Here you go. Hope it's soon enough. Well, like I said in the PM, I've seen enough eps where I know who the characters are, but not to gauge whether or not I like the series, though I'd LOVE to read the fic.

DISCLAIMER

Power Rangers belongs to Haim Saban, Fox Kids, and Disney. I only own the plot, though I **am** incorporating stuff from the actual PRIS franchise.

A FEW MONTHS LATER

Jason gazed pensively at the sky as the Dark Fortress traveled through the air. Hearing footsteps, he turned to see Ecliptor.

"Hey," he greeted.

"What are you thinking about?" Ecliptor asked.

"My life before the enslavement. I had just started high school. It was just a regular day, you know?" Jason responded.

"And then?" Ecliptor prodded.

"And then the Earthquake hit, and before I knew it, my life totally changed," Jason finished. Then, "How's she doing?"

"She's confused. She doesn't know what to do with the discovery that the Red Ranger is her brother." The sound of footsteps reached their ears and they paused in their conversation and turned to see Astronema.

"Mistress," he grinned. She managed a small smile. She was grateful to his support. Without him and Ecliptor…she didn't know what she'd do. _Who would've thought I'd ever be grateful to a slave?_ she thought to herself.

"Is there anything we can do, Princess?"

"No, Ecliptor. I need to figure this out for myself."

"As you wish." Astronema gave him another smile, and then she turned to Jason.

"There's a meeting later today, and I'd like you to come with me," she told him.

"Of course, Mistress," he agreed. He took her hand. "You know I'm here for you, right?"

"Yes, Jason. I know." He leaned over to give her a quick, small kiss on the lips. Then, she walked away.

"I wish there was more I could do to help her," he admitted to the general.

"You're standing by her, letting her go at her own pace. That's enough for her," came the assurance. Astronema sat on her bed, her mind racing.

"_You're Karone," the Red Ranger said._

"Karone. I used to be her," she said to herself. She knew this. She hadn't told anyone, but the memories were cropping up at night while she slept. She was sure Jason had heard her crying a few times, but he never said anything, not having gotten over a good portion of his training as a slave. Yes, she admitted the fact that at one time, she had been called Karone. However, she had been Astronema for so long, she wasn't sure what to do. When it was nearly time for the meeting, Astronema went to Jason who was already standing at the door with a pair of chains.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" she checked. _I hate chaining him up. it's so barbaric_, she thought unhappily.

"It'd look weird for a slave to not be in chains at a meeting. It's okay, Mistress," he answered. He didn't like it when she had to chain him up, but knew that they couldn't run the risk of the other members of the alliance finding out that they were involved with each other. With that, she put the chains on, making sure that his wrists had enough circulation.

"Let's go," she said, and they teleported to the meeting place in the Lunar Palace. Jason stuck close to Astronema and Ecliptor, keeping his eyes lowered. She dragged him to a table and then sat down. Beside them were Rita and Zedd with two of their own slaves, a guy with dark hair and a tall girl with blue eyes and blonde hair. His brows furrowed. He had seen the two before, he was sure, but he couldn't remember. Perhaps at the last meeting? The girl was subdued, keeping her eyes lowered as was the custom, but the boy seemed to be defiant, occasionally, looking up and around at the table. _He's going to get himself killed_, he thought to himself. Unless, of course, Rita and Zedd were using him as a soldier. If that was the case, it'd make sense for him to gauge the competition of his Master and Mistress. Feeling a sharp, but subtle nudge from his Mistress, Jason quickly lowered his gaze.

"I'm sure you're all aware as to why this meeting was called," Dark Specter stated.

"The recent increase in the Resistance," Zedd responded.

"Yeah. Every day there are more and more reports of slaves joining the Power Rangers," Rita chimed in.

"Who have we lost to the stupid Resistance **now**?" a voice sneered and Jason cringed. _Mistress Divatox_, he thought to himself. _No! She's not my Mistress anymore_, he quickly reminded himself.

"I lost my best servant---a young man named Zack Taylor," a monster reported, placing down a "wanted" poster. Jason fought not to look up. Zack was still alive? He had heard that he had been killed.

"So, with that makes how many now?" Dark Specter questioned.

"There was that petite Kimberly Hart---" Zedd began. Kimberly. Another old friend of his before the enslavement.

"Followed by Daddy's servants: Trini Kwan and Billy Cranston," Rita added, adding two more wanted posters. _They bought Trini and Billy together? I guess they couldn't understand him either_, Jason thought to himself and had to fight back a chuckle at the thought of Zedd and Rita trying to decipher Billy's techno-speak.

"Demora's slave, Tanya Sloan was taken away by the Blue Ranger," a creature reported. There was a whooshing sound and Goldar and Scorpina, looking the worse for wear, headed for empty spaces next to Rita and Zedd.

"What happened to you two!?" Rita screeched. To their surprise, the generals dropped to their knees and ducked their heads submissively. _Well, that can't be good, Jason thought_, taking a discreet look at them.

"Empress, Sire, we have failed you and will accept any punishment you deem appropriate," Goldar said gruffly. They cowered, obviously expecting an explosive reaction.

"Well, you can add that upstart Rocky DeSantos to the list," Rita griped. _Terrific. We lost one of our best slaves. That's just peachy_, the witch thought.

"Goldar, Scorpina, rise. It is obvious that the Rangers are getting trickier in the way they make their selections," Zedd told them. Relieved at the lack of punishment, the two did so and their leaders made room for them to sit down. As they did so, Scorpina pouted and Goldar patted her hand sympathetically.

"What's wrong, my little scorpion?" Rita questioned, sounding maternal.

"They took my slave---Adam Park. I was **certain** I had him trained better than that, Empress!" she responded.

"Don't worry. I'll get him back for you," Goldar assured, and she leaned over to kiss him. Only Astronema noticed Jason's slight shudder of disgust and had to hide a smile. She couldn't blame the boy. A scorpion and simian-like creature **did** make for an odd pairing.

"It's those Power Rangers! They stage those rescues, making their armies stronger," Jatterack said.

"And we all know whose fault **that** is!" Divatox exclaimed in a sing-song. "The **so-called** Princess of Evil---Astronema," she continued with a sneer. Jason's head snapped up and he glared at. How dare she talk about his Mistress that way? As if sensing his thoughts, Astronema grabbed his wrist and leaned in towards him.

"Easy, love," she whispered, though from her expression, one would think that she was reprimanding him.

"Forgive me, Mistress," he said, lowering his eyes. Rita and Zedd's slaves stared at each other.

"At least we still have Katherine Hilliard and Tommy Oliver," Rita oozed, grabbing the boy's wrist and pulling him close.

"Back off, you witch!" the boy---Tommy---snapped, trying to yank free. A look of pain flitted across his face, and Jason could only guess at how deeply his shackles were cutting into his skin.

"Sit still, boy," Zedd growled and went to strike him.

"No Master, please! He didn't mean it!" the girl---Katherine---exclaimed in an Australian accent, grabbing the man's arm. He turned to her.

"Master, please," she implored.

"Who else is missing?" Dark Specter asked, ignoring the exchange. A tall, regal-looking creature stood up as Zedd decided not to punish his male slave.

"My slave, Aisha Campbell, has run away. As far as I know, she is **not** with the Rangers, and I want her back **before** she joins up with them," he stated. After several more minutes of discussing what could be done about the renegade slaves, the members of the United Alliance of Evil stood up and mingled among themselves.

"How are you doing?" Astronema queried.

"I'm okay," Jason assured. Seeing her former slave, Divatox pushed her way through the alliance and started for them. Immediately, Ecliptor stood in front of him.

"Princess, I think we should go in another direction," Ecliptor suggested.

"Yeah," Astronema agreed and the trio turned around and walked away. What no one knew was that two people were watching the Alliance, waiting for the chance to strike. They watched with interest as Divatox headed for Astronema, only to have the woman turn and head in the other direction. Beside her, her slave matched her stride for stride as they and Ecliptor went to another side of the palace. The spies' eyes narrowed. That was odd. Slaves didn't generally walk side-by-side of a Master or Mistress. However, they didn't have time to ponder it. They had to get the slaves out of here. Silently, one headed towards Zedd and Rita, who were in a deep discussion with Master Vile.

"Psst." Tommy and Katherine became rigid when they heard the sound. "Psst." They looked in the direction the noise had come from and crept away unnoticed.

"You wanna get outta here?" The two felt a hope rise within them. !t was the Black Ranger! They nodded, and he used his Lunar Lance to break the shackles and then began leading them away. Meanwhile, the other spy headed towards Astronema. Feeling someone behind them, Jason glanced over his shoulder.

"Mistress, we're being followed. It's not M---Divatox though," he whispered.

"Thank you, Jason," she responded. Then, there was a shout from Rita and Zedd as they realized that their slaves had gone missing. Immediately, members of the United Alliance of Evil gave chase. Jason looked to Astronema, awaiting her command.

"Ecliptor, take Jason back to the Dark Fortress," she instructed.

"Right away, Mistress," he agreed. Ecliptor started to teleport them out, but was stopped when their follower jumped him. Jason tensed.

"Princess, run!" her bodyguard urged.

"ECLIPTOR!" she shrieked.

"Mistress, come on. It's not safe for you here," Jason said, grabbing her arm.

"Right," she said, and she began to teleport. However, the spy, who was soon revealed to be the Blue Ranger, managed to knock Ecliptor aside and then ran to Jason, grabbing his arm, and breaking the chains.

"JASON!" Astronema exclaimed.

"Mistress, help!" Jason shouted, struggling against him. The Blue Ranger's head recoiled in surprise? _Help? He's calling for her help?_ he thought to himself. Then, _she must've brainwashed him_. If that was the case, they'd have to get out of there…fast. Making a decision, he teleported. With a gasp, he looked around and realized they were on another ship.

"JASON!" at the sound of a relieved cry, he turned to see Kimberly making her way towards him.

"Kim," he said as she basically flew at him and wrapped her arms around him.

"Oh, I was so worried that the Rangers wouldn't get to you in time," she sighed, holding him close.

"I'm okay, Kimmie," he assured her. _Mistress. I want my Mistress_, he thought to himself. She had to be worried sick about him.

"Yo, Jase!" a voice called. Jason turned to see Zack.

"Zack, hey. I heard you were dead," he commented.

"Greatly exaggerated," came the response. "Lost a finger though," he continued, revealing the missing left middle finger.

"Bummer," he stated.

"How horrible," Kimberly said.

"It's all right. It looks cool," Zack said. With a soft laugh, Jason shook his head. Then, he excused himself and went off to a corner.

"What do you think happened to him?" Kimberly wondered.

"I don't know," Zack responded, and they looked at their friend worriedly.


	7. Chapter Seven

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Ae1102: Thanks. I thought it'd be something different and unique. Well, read on and see. Sorry this isn't soon enough.

DISCLAIMER

Power Rangers belongs to Haim Saban, Fox Kids, and Disney. I only own the plot. Because this took a different turn then what I had originally planned and didn't add some stuff, I'll be making an Astronema/Jason interlude story known as "Forbidden". When it's from the Rangers' perspective, I'll use their names, when it's from Jason's perspective, I'll just be calling them Rangers.

In the Dark Fortress, Astronema paced inside her strategy room, obviously upset.

"Those stupid Rangers! They just took him! And I did nothing!" she finished with a sigh.

"Jason would be glad that you're safe, Princess," Ecliptor reminded.

"I **have** to get him back, Ecliptor! He's probably freaking out right now!" Astronema hissed. She banged a fist on a console. "I WANT HIM BACK!"

"Perhaps I can help you with that," a voice stated. They turned to see an orange-ish-yellow creature and Astronema pointed her Wrath Staff at him.

"**Who** are you? And how did you get in here?" she demanded.

"I am Darkonda. And as for how I got in…well, let's just say that I have my ways," the creature answered. "So, you have an escaped slave, do you?"

"Something like that." There was something off about this creature…even more so than any of the other members of the Alliance.

"I can get him back for you with the Rangers being none the wiser."

"Really?" She approached him, Wrath Staff still in front of her protectively. "And how is that?"

"I am a shape-shifter," he announced proudly.

"Really? **That** could be useful," she reluctantly admitted. It'd be easier to get Jason out of there if the Rangers weren't suspicious of anything.

"So, let me go and grab that slave for you and bring him back…for a certain price of course," Darkonda offered.

"Of course," Astronema agreed. _Yes. Soon Jason will be back here---safe and sound. But I can't just trust his safety to this creature_, she thought. "Ecliptor, you're going with him," she continued.

"As you wish Princess," the creature quickly agreed. Silently fuming, Darkonda glared at Ecliptor. However, he had said nothing.

"And Ecliptor? Bring him back unharmed. He's of no use to me injured." Ecliptor nodded his understanding and the two disappeared. Back at the safe house that the Rangers had set up for rescued slaves; Jason leaned against the wall, watching everyone interact with each other.

"It's overwhelming, huh?" Jason turned to see a young boy about twelve.

"Yeah. Something like that," he allowed.

"But thank goodness for the Power Rangers. They got us out of there," the boy continued.

"Look, kid---"

"Justin. Justin Stewart."

"Justin. Look, no offense, but I'm not really in the mood for company."

"Yeah, that's fine. I understand." Jason watched as the young boy walk away, a wave of sadness washing over him. _Poor kid. That's pretty young to lose your parents_, he thought. That had been one of Rita's first moves: killing their parents to scare them into submission. And it had worked. It had taken him years to get Kimberly and Trini's screams out of his head. However, he couldn't forget what it felt like to watch his parents fight for his safety before finally being slaughtered by Goldar. There had been no Rangers then. There had been no Rangers for years. And then one day, they had just suddenly popped up. While their appearance had given hope to some, he, like others, had still viewed freedom as a dream. Then, he had been sold to Mistress Astronema. Mistress. She had to be worried sick about him. TJ and Carlos walked around the complex, checking on the other teens, getting them food, water, and other essentials.

"Hey Teej, is it just me or there something off about that guy over there?" Carlos asked, gesturing towards Jason.

"I think he may have been brainwashed. When I was rescuing him, he called out for the woman who was using him," TJ answered. They watched as Jason sighed and then headed towards the door.

"Uh-oh," Carlos said.

"I got him," TJ replied. He walked over and joined him just as he stepped outside.

"It's not safe to be out in the open," the Ranger warned.

"It's not safe for **you**, you mean," Jason shot back. _Why can't he just leave me alone? I didn't want to be taken_, he thought peevishly.

"Look, I know you think you're supposed to be loyal to her, but she was just using you," TJ told him.

"Shut up! You don't know anything about me and Mistress!" Jason exclaimed. _I can't believe he would say that! Just because she's working for the UAE, doesn't give him the right to act like he's so much better than her!_ he thought.

"Astronema. Her name is Astronema," TJ corrected. _Well, actually, it's Karone. But let's not confuse the guy even more_, he thought.

"What do you guys want from me?"

"We just want to help you."

"You can help me by returning me to Mistress!" Then, Jason pushed past him and stomped off. For a moment, TJ just stared. _What on Earth?_ he wondered. Then, he hurried in the direction that he had gone in. _I don't believe this! How __**dare**__ he talk about Mistress that way!?_ Jason fumed. She had **never** used him. Sure, they had to hide their relationship, but that was just so that they couldn't be used against each other. Suddenly, a hand was placed over his mouth and struggling, he was dragged to the side.

"Relax, Jason. It's just me," a voice assured. Immediately, he felt himself go limp with relief.

"Ecliptor!" he said. "I should've known Mistress would send you for me!" Darkonda stared through narrow eyes. _That's an odd way for a slave to act_, he thought.

"Stop right there!" they all turned to see the Blue Ranger. Before Ecliptor could stop him, Darkonda grabbed Jason by the throat and held him close to his body, pinned by a sword. _No_, Jason thought to himself, trying not to show his fear. He didn't want to die. He just wanted to be back with Mistress.

"You're the one who should stop, Ranger! Unless you want a death on your hands," he cackled. With a roar, Ecliptor shoved Darkonda. Then, he grabbed Jason and the two disappeared.

"Jason!" Astronema exclaimed as soon as the two reappeared on the Dark Fortress. Immediately, he went to his Mistress and wrapped her in a hug, a gesture which she returned.

"I saw everything on the screen. I'm so sorry. I had no idea he was going to do that," Astronema stated, as Ecliptor began programming the computer to reject Darkonda's bio-signature.

"It's okay, Mistress. I'm okay," Jason assured.

"Are you injured?"

"No, I'm all right." She kissed him quickly. "Forgive me, Mistress. I didn't want to go with them."

"It's okay. It's okay. This wasn't your fault." Astronema, held Jason close, her eyes flashing with anger. The Rangers would pay for this! She would see it to it. Back at the safe house, TJ had just briefed the other Rangers about what had happened.

"So let me get this straight, he went with them **willingly**?" Carlos asked.

"Yep. And Ecliptor obviously wasn't very pleased when that thing grabbed him and tried to kill him," TJ answered.

"What is going on here?" Zhane wondered.

"I still say this guy is brainwashed. And if that's the case, we might not be able to save him," TJ commented.

"At the very least, he's got Stockholm," Ashley stated. Zhane and Andros looked at her in confusion. "It's something that happens when a kidnapping victim starts to relate to their kidnapper," she explained.

"Why would anyone do that?" Zhane wondered.

"The experts say it happens when the captor shows the victim some bit of kindness," Cassie responded.

"It would explain his actions," Carlos commented.

"And if Astronema's being kind to this guy, it also means that Karone's still in there somewhere," Andros theorized. The other Rangers sighed.

"Maybe, Andros. But I really wouldn't count on it," Ashley told him. While they talked, Kimberly, Zack, and some of the other kids were grouped together.

"I don't get it. Why would he leave? He was here, he was safe," Kimberly said tearfully.

"I don't know. Maybe she did something to him," Zack suggested.

"Like what?" Trini wondered.

"I haven't a clue," Billy shrugged.

"I saw him with his Mistress. They looked pretty chummy," a boy with long hair stated.

"Tommy!" his female companion scolded.

"What, Kat? They did," he defended. Kimberly scoffed.

"No way would Jason be in cahoots with evil," she told him.

"I'm just tellin' you what I noticed," he retorted. _Man, is she naïve!_ he thought to himself. But she **was** rather cute. Then, he shook his head. What was he thinking? There was no time for that kind of stuff. They had to fight for their freedom. Meanwhile, the Rangers had finished making their plans.

"So, we're all agreed? We're going to do this?" Andros questioned. His teammates nodded.

"We'll sneak onto the Dark Fortress, grab the boy, teleport out, and take him to a deprogrammer," TJ responded.

"Let's do it," they chorused, and then, after leaving one of their trusted generals in charge, they left.


	8. Chapter Eight

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Ae1102: Thanks. I'm glad you think everything has a smooth flow. I will.

JasonLeeScottFan: Thanks. Read on and see. Well, what is a PR fic without a little bit of chaos? Sorry this isn't soon enough.

Fanficrulez: Well, technically, Jason/Astronema, but for some reason they took that name off of the character listings. Neither have I, and don't ask me where I got the idea, 'cuz I haven't the foggiest. Thanks. Sorry this isn't soon enough.

DISCLAIMER

Sorry this took so long to get out. We were in finals week, and I've just finished my last one. Power Rangers belongs to Haim Saban, Fox Kids, and Disney. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize.

Back in the Dark Fortress, Jason had immediately busied himself, polishing a Quantron's spear. _I can't believe the Rangers just kidnapped me like that. Everyone said they were the good guys_, he thought to himself.

"Jason!" At the sound of his Mistress' voice, he turned around.

"What are you doing? You know you don't have to work," she reminded him.

"If I don't do something, I'll just remember the Rangers taking me from you," he answered. She took the spear from him and then took his hand.

"Come on. Let's go to the holadeck for a date," she stated.

"Whatever you want, Mistress," he agreed. They walked to the room that she had installed for holograms and their environments and she closed the door.

"You pick the spot," she told him.

"The Angel Grove Gym and Juice Bar," he said and instantly, the scenery changed. With a wave of her hand, Astronema was in a dark green shirt and brown pants, one of her favorite outfits. Jason walked to the refrigerator and grabbed two sodas.

"So, what do you plan to do about the Rangers?" he wondered, opening his drink.

"I'll certainly make them pay for taking you," she answered.

"What about your brother, the Red Ranger?" he asked.

"I was confused before, but now I'm not. He's of no consequence to me," she replied. Then, "So, how are you doing?"

"The only good thing about being taken away was that I saw a couple of my old friends," he replied. "But don't worry, I remember my place." She shook her head. Jason probably wasn't going to forget his training any time soon. It had been drilled and beaten into him too often.

"Jason, if you want to go with the Rangers---" Astronema began.

"Are you tired of me, Mistress?" Jason interrupted, looking at her in alarm. _Doesn't she love me anymore?_ he wondered.

"Of course not," she quickly assured. "I just meant that you had the option."

"Well, I thank you, but I'm happy here," he replied. She smiled at him and shook her head. Though he was more comfortable voicing his opinions, Jason still kept the formal speech intact.

"Okay, then," she said, and the two lapsed into a comfortable silence. As he made his rounds, Ecliptor noted that the door to the holadeck was shut, meaning that she and Jason were on a date. He shook his head with fond remembrance. How many times had they been in there when she was a girl? _Too many to count_, he thought. After the first couple of times, he had realized that they would probably need food in there because she loved to spend hours on end in the place, so he had stolen a refrigerator. Just then, the ship's alarms blared.

"What's that?" Jason wondered, as they got up.

"Stay here," Astronema ordered. He nodded and did as he was told as she ran out of the room. "Ecliptor, report!"

"That traitorous wretch Darkonda must be trying to board, Princess."

"On screen!" the command was obeyed, and just as Ecliptor had surmised, Darkonda was indeed trying to enter the Dark Fortress.

"Astronema! Let me in!" he bellowed. He tried to teleport himself onto the ship, but was thrown back.

"He'll be kept busy for a while, but we should raise the shields just to be on the safe side," Astronema determined.

"I'll do that at once, Princess," Ecliptor responded, and went to do so. Meanwhile, on the Astro Megaship, the Rangers were finalizing their plans to infiltrate the Dark Fortress. Once they were satisfied that they had everything under control, they moved out. Outside the Dark Fortress, Darkonda growled in annoyance.

"Astronema! Let me in now! You owe me for my services!" he shouted. _How dare she refuse me? After all, I'm the one who got her slave back…no thanks to that weakling, Ecliptor_, he thought. Hearing a noise behind him, he turned around to see the Rangers.

"Ah, so you want to play, do you?" With that, he charged at them, and they all began fighting. In the holadeck, Jason paced around nervously. _I wish I knew what was happening out there_, he thought. The door opened to reveal Ecliptor.

"What's going on?"

"Astronema's going out to fight the Rangers and Darkonda, the creature we erroneously teamed up with to get you back. She wants you in your room." Jason nodded and did as he was told. _I wish I could be out there fighting with her,_ he thought, running his fingers through his hair. On the other hand, if he **did** go out there, the Rangers would probably just try to grab him again. Or that creature---Darkonda---would try to kill him. Outside of the ship, Astronema was dividing her energy between fighting Darkonda and the Rangers.

"Astronema, why are you fighting with me? I brought you back your disobedient slave," Darkonda said.

"Disobedient?" Astronema angrily repeated under her breath. With a growl, she brought her Wrath Staff up and let energy crackle from it. Then, she pointed the weapon at the creature and fired. Darkonda cried out in pain and then disintegrated. Then, she turned to the Rangers.

"You're next!" she sneered and started firing with her staff.

"Guys, this is **not** going according to plan," the Pink Ranger hissed after awhile.

"No kidding," the Blue Ranger muttered. How could this have gone so wrong in such a short amount of time? And how were they going to get her slave out if they couldn't even make it onboard the ship? The Rangers dodged another attack. _We've got to get past her_, the Black Ranger thought to himself. But how? She wasn't letting up with her attacks. The Yellow and Blue Rangers double-teamed Astronema, allowing the Red Ranger to slip past her. _ Oh, no you don't, Red Ranger_, Ecliptor thought to himself, as he hurried out to intercept him. The Red Ranger gave out a surprised yell, as the creature tackled him, but swiftly rolled in a way that made him fall over his shoulders. Then, he continued towards the ship. Summoning only a small amount of his sword's power, Ecliptor aimed the weapon and fired at the Red Ranger, who quickly dodged out of the way. The ship shook. _Okay, better not risk it_, Ecliptor decided. After all, Jason was still in there. Astronema, who was still fighting the Rangers, periodically glanced back at the ship. She had seen him set his weapon on low, and surmised that he didn't want to risk damaging the ship or hurting Jason by firing again.

"Ecliptor, stop him!" she yelled, seeing the Ranger head for the door. Ecliptor headed for him, but was knocked back. Then, he blasted his way in.

"Quantrons! Stop him!" Astronema yelled. The creatures made their usual mechanical noises and headed for him. He fought through the grunts and headed for the ship. Hearing rapidly approaching footsteps, Jason quickly locked the door. _Man, don't the Rangers ever give up? I __**don**__'__**t**__ want to leave!_ he thought to himself. Reaching the door, the Red Ranger soon discovered it was locked. He stared at it and then concentrated. With growing apprehension, Jason watched as the lock in the door turned. He got into a defensive stance. He wasn't going to be taken again. When the door opened, the Red Ranger was surprised to see the boy in a ready stance.

"Easy, I'm not going to hurt you," he soothed.

"You're not taking me anywhere," came the retort. The Red Ranger approached him and Jason lashed out with a kick, causing the Ranger to groan in pain. He tried to grab him, but was just tossed over the boy's shoulders. _Oh, man! I didn't realize that this kid had training_, the Ranger thought to himself. Jason took advantage of the momentary lull and headed out the door. The Red Ranger shook his head and chased after him. He had to make him see that things didn't have to be this way. Jason didn't even look back. That's how people got caught, looking back to see how close their pursuers were getting. He had just reached the doors when he heard a cry of pain.

"Mistress!" he exclaimed, slapping a button. _Oh, man! I hope they haven't hurt Karone!_ the Red Ranger thought to himself as he followed Jason out the door. Seeing the creature that had grabbed him about to strike Astronema, Jason let out a yell and lunged at him _That was a pretty nice tackle_, the Black Ranger thought, taking a quick peek at the two as he fought. Darkonda laughed and grabbed him by the throat.

"So…the slave has spunk, does he? I hate spunky slaves," he said, lifting him into the air. The boy struggled to get a breath.

"Jason," Astronema said in concern. She turned to them, pointing her staff. "Unhand him right now," she demanded. He turned around with a laugh.

"Or what?" he cackled. Astronema fired a beam from her staff, causing him to drop the human. Jason coughed, trying to catch his breath. The Pink Ranger fought her way through some Quantrons and knelt down beside him.

"Are you okay?" she asked, helping him to a sitting position.

"I'm fine," he assured. A cry of rage startled them and they turned to see Ecliptor aiding Astronema in her fight against Darkonda. Ecliptor was knocked aside and Astronema thrown to the ground.

"NO!" Before the Pink Ranger could stop him, Jason climbed to his feet and then once again tackled the creature. This time, after knocking him down, Jason somersaulted over him; grabbed Astronema's Wrath Staff and smacked him with it. _Forgive my impertinence, Mistress, but I can't let him hurt you_, he thought to himself. Instantly, Rangers and Quantrons stopped to stare at the unfolding events. _What's going on here?_ the Yellow Ranger wondered.

"**You**'**re** going to take on **me**?" Darkonda queried with a sneer. Jason gave no answer, but stood in front of his Mistress protectively, eyes blazing at the one who had dared to hurt her. Darkonda growled and prepared to attack, but was dissuaded when Ecliptor came to stand beside Jason.

"I'll be back." With that, Darkonda disappeared. Instantly, Jason dropped the Wrath Staff and knelt by Astronema.

"Mistress, are you all right?" he asked, helping her to sit up.

"I'm all right. What about you?" she responded.

"Forget about me," he dismissed. "I was so worried, I thought---" the Rangers watched in surprise as he gently cupped her cheek in his hand.

"You shouldn't have protected me like that. You could've gotten really hurt." As she said this, she kissed his hand gently, her eyes locking in on the bruises around his neck.

"I will **always** protect you, Mistress." Then, they leaned towards each other and kissed passionately. The Rangers stared in shock for several minutes.

"What on Earth!?" the Blue Ranger finally asked.


	9. Chapter Nine

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Ae1102: Thanks. Yeah, me too.

JasonLeeScottFan: Thanks. Yeah, he does. Read on and see. Sorry this isn't soon enough.

Fanficrulez: Ashley and the spelling's correct. Yep. Read on and see.

Super ZEO Silver: Thanks, I will.

DISCLAIMER

Okay, obviously, I have my net back, which means this gets updated. Power Rangers belongs to Haim Saban, Fox Kids, and Disney. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize. In the narration, when it's Jason using the word, Mistress is capitalized, but it's lower case when the Rangers use it.

"What on Earth?" the Blue Ranger asked again. _Why is he kissing her?_ he wondered. This guy was acting as if he was in love with his mistress. Astronema and Jason pulled away. Immediately, he lowered his eyes, fearing a reprisal for his slip.

"Sorry, Mistress. I should've remembered that they were watching." She put a hand on his chin and made it so that they were at eye contact. Throughout all of this, Ecliptor was silent.

"It's okay." Jason sighed inwardly with relief. He hadn't ruined things between them. "What of the Alliance? If they find out…" his voice trailed off.

"Then we'll deal with them accordingly." The Rangers looked at each other. What was going on here?

"Karone, we can grant you all sanctuary. Just come with us," Andros urged. Astronema hesitated and looked at Jason. Could she trust the Rangers not to hurt him? "Karone, please?"

"I don't think we have a choice, Mistress." Astronema nodded. It looked like Jason was right. They **didn**'**t** have a choice. And given her options, she'd rather take a chance with the Rangers than anyone in the Alliance.

"All right. We'll go with you." Andros couldn't keep the grin off of his face. His sister was coming back! With some apprehension, the other Rangers followed Andros as he led Astronema, Ecliptor, and Jason to the Astro Megaship.

"Deca, open ship," Carlos commanded, and seconds later, the entrance to craft was opened and they all walked in. What they didn't know was that Darkonda had teleported himself directly to Dark Specter's base of command and had told him all that had happened and what he had witnessed.

"So, Astronema has let herself become attached to a human, has she?" the monarch queried. "Well, I'll put a stop to that." Darkonda allowed himself to grin evilly. _This went better than I thought. Now that Dark Specter's distracted with punishing Astronema, I can take over the Alliance_, he thought to himself. Without letting his features betray his inner thoughts, Darkonda bowed and went to join others in the Alliance. As they talked about ways to destroy the Rangers and get their slaves back, the mercenary let his mind wander. What would it be like to be the grand monarch of evil? He could just see it now: Rita, Zedd, Master Vile, the Machine Empire, Divatox, even that weakling Ecliptor bowing down to him and calling him 'Master'. Yes, it would be a grand feeling. He forced himself out of his thoughts and refocused his attention on the Alliance. Back on the Astro ship, Jason and Ecliptor had been given a room while Andros had offered to share his room with his sister. Jason looked at Ecliptor and nervously rubbed the side of his neck.

"You seem anxious."

"What if this backfires on us? What if the Rangers decide that Mistress can't be trusted and try to harm her?"

"I won't let that happen, and I'm certain you won't either." Jason nodded to the affirmative. Ecliptor was right. He wouldn't let **anyone** hurt Mistress. On the Simudeck, TJ was going through a routine in an effort to clear her mind. How could he let Astronema trick him! _She's the enemy!_ he thought to himself. All of a sudden, the images came rushing back. _TJ fell to the ground and trembled as his Master approach._

"_Master, please," he begged. His master, a tall, distinguished-looking creature curled his lip into a sneer. _ _Then, he telekinetically threw the boy across the room. The boy grunted in pain._

"_Choke," his master ordered. Suddenly, it was as if something had plugged up TJ's throat and the boy coughed and he frantically_ clutched at his throat. TJ's eyes clouded as more memories came to the surface. _TJ groaned as he felt the energy envelop him._

"_No…please…not again," he begged. His master just laughed and when the boy looked up again, his eyes were glazed and unseeing._

"Teej?" With a gasp, TJ turned around to see Carlos. "You okay, man?" he asked.

"I don't get it, Carlos. How could he be in love with his mistress? He's got to be brainwashed, right? I mean, it's just like what Mordan used to do to me," came the answer.

"You mean how he used to take over your mind and make you do things?" his friend asked. The Blue Ranger nodded. The Black Ranger sighed.

"I can't explain it, but it really does seem as if they both love each other. I mean, you saw how they fought for each other-protected each other."

"But it doesn't make sense! Can't he see that it's probably a trick?"

"I'm not so sure that's true." TJ blew out a breath and rubbed the side of his neck nervously. Maybe Carlos was right. Maybe it **was** different for Jason and Astronema. While this was going on, Darkonda had snuck away from the rest of the Alliance and into Dark Specter's base of operations. _Okay, now there must be something in here that can help me defeat Dark Specter_, he thought to himself. Hearing a noise, he whirled around to see Dark Specter who had suddenly materialized.

"So…Astronema's not the only traitor," the monarch hissed.

"**I** should be running this Alliance," came the answer. The two creatures charged at each other. Darkonda pulled out a sword and Dark Specter conjured up a saber. The two continued to fight. Darkonda let out a harsh slash, knocking Dark Specter's weapon to the ground.

"And now you're finished!" With a cackle, Darkonda let electricity flow from his sword and thrust it at the monarch. With a scream, he disintegrated. Cackling, Darkonda turned his attention to the computer. Within seconds, he had the machine on.

"Monsters of the universe hear me: Dark Specter is dead and I am the new ruler."


	10. Chapter Ten

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

JasonLeeScottFan: We'll see. Ah, but he is. Perhaps, but it just worked out that way. Hope this is soon enough.

DISCLAIMER

Okay, I'm trying to finish this and "Ranger Danger" as soon as possible so that I can focus on my "How It Should've Been" reality, but I'm stuck on the other story, so just bear with me. Plus, I'm taking my computer in to get some stuff taken off and I don't know how long they'll hold the computer. Power Rangers belongs to Haim Saban, Fox Kids, and Disney. I only own the plot and any characters you don't recognize.

At Darkonda's announcement, members of the Alliance looked at each other in disbelief. Dark Specter destroyed? Could it be?

"Well, **I**'**m** not following Darkonda," Divatox huffed, crossing her arms. Her minions looked at her, but said nothing. Rita and Zedd stared at each other.

"Zeddy, do you really want to serve under that blowhard?" Rita queried.

"Not a chance, my Putrid Pumpkin," Zedd responded. All across the universe, other members of the Alliance made similar statements. Hearing the statements, the Rangers, Astronema, and Jason all stared at each other.

"Is this common behavior for them?" Cassie asked Astronema.

"I don't know. I never cared much about other members of the Alliance except for what Dark Specter was grooming me for," she replied. Jason looked at Astronema, but said nothing. From his position in Dark Specter's base, Darkonda frowned. Why wasn't anyone responding to him? He was now the leader of the Alliance. The other members should be flocking to pledge their allegiance. He pressed the intercom again.

"Monsters, hear me once again: anyone who destroys or captures even **one** Power Ranger will have the honor of being my top and most trusted general," he announced. His proclamation was once again met with silence. He frowned and his eyes darkened. Why wasn't anyone answering? Meanwhile, the other members of the Alliance had gathered together.

"So Darkonda thinks he can be the new ruler of the Alliance. What nerve," Divatox fumed.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm with Divatox," Rita commented.

"Yes, we all know who **should** be the next ruler: **me**!" Zedd agreed.

"You? Hah!" Divatox responded.

"Yes, **me**…with Rita by my side. She was, after all, the one who enslaved Earth," Zedd reminded. There were murmurs of agreement and remembrance at the statement. While this was going on, the Rangers, Astronema, Ecliptor, and Jason were making their own plans.

"We could take out this part of the Alliance and-" Andros' statement was cut off as a transmission came through. Astronema and Jason quickly stepped out of sight, earning strange looks from the Rangers.

"Andros," a man said in a voice of surprise.

"Zirtan?" Andros queried.

"Andros, this is-I can't describe it," Zirtan said excitedly.

"What? What is it?" Zhane questioned.

"The slaves-they're joining-they're all banding together. They've met in a safe house on the south side of KO35," Zirtan replied.

"The Resistance is growing?" Cassie asked in surprise.

"Yes," Zirtan replied. Jason and Astronema shared a look. That was amazing. "But it may not be enough. There are reports that the other members of the Alliance are banding together to overthrow Darkonda. If they succeed, the Resistance may not be enough to stop them."

"What if someone who defected from the Alliance was to help you? Would that even up things a little?" Zirtan watched in surprise as Astronema stepped up to the screen.

"Andros! What is this?" he questioned. Had the Rangers turned on them?

"She's really my sister, Karone." Zirtan stammered for a few seconds. He didn't know what to do or say to this. Finally, he had something.

"You trust her?"

"I do." Zirtan blew out a breath. He wasn't sure what to think. He knew Andros had been looking for his sister, but the fact that it was actually the Princess of Evil who had been groomed by Dark Specter himself…it was a little strange. But he trusted Andros.

"Okay. On a temporary basis. No offense."

"None taken. I must earn your trust." Zirtan nodded and then cut off the transmission.

"Wow. So the other people we saved are getting up the strength to fight back. That's amazing," Ashley stated.

"But will it be enough?" Jason wondered.

"I think it's going to have to be. If we all work together, I'm sure we can overthrow the Alliance," Astronema stated.

"Okay, let's all meet together," Zhane said.

"I'll go make the call," Cassie stated, and went to do so as the other Rangers made preparations to leave. Presently, they were ready and then off to the planet. Astronema began to wave her hand.

"What are you doing?" TJ asked. He still wasn't sure about her, but he'd be polite to her for Andros' sake.

"If we're going to help the Resistance, it would be better for me to go in a civilian appearance until they learn that they can trust me," Astronema responded, finishing the gesture to reveal her with blonde hair, a green shirt, and brown pants. _That makes sense_, he thought to himself.

'Wow. You look good," TJ commented.

"Thank you," Astronema answered as the others walked in.

"Wow. You're lookin' good, Mistress," Jason commented with a curved grin.

"Call me, Karone. That's my name," Astronema said.

"Mistress?" Jason asked in confusion.

"Karone," Astronema corrected, putting a hand on his cheek. "I don't think the Resistance will understand our relationship. I'm going in civilian form," she continued. She looked in his eyes to see if he understood and he nodded that he did, though she could tell he didn't like the idea. She smiled sympathetically and leaned in close. "I know," she whispered in his ear. Then, she kissed his cheek and he moaned as her fingers caressed his neck. With a sharp inhalation, she pulled back. "Later. We have a war to win." He smiled.

"Of course." When they finally got to the planet, they stopped the ship, and then disembarked. The Rangers led Jason and Astronema to a large warehouse. Inside, Jason was surprised to see the rest of his friends, plus Justin and some others.

"All of these people have joined the Resistance?" Jason asked.

"Wow," Ashley breathed.

"It's amazing," Cassie said. Jason looked around, and when he saw who he was looking for, he grinned.

"Kim! Zack!" he called, and hurried towards them.

"Jason!" Kimberly cried excitedly. She laughed, and she and the others also hurried towards him.

"Oh! You got away from your mistress!" Kimberly cried in relief as she threw her arms around him.

"Um…something like that," Jason replied. _Actually, she's here with me, but you wouldn't understand why_, he thought to himself.

"I am most relieved that you are unharmed," Billy told him.

"Same here. You don't look so bad yourself," Jason stated. Trini was next in line for a hug. _Wow. They all look so great_, he thought. They were unaware that they were being watched another small group of people.

"Who's that?" a Korean boy asked.

"I don't know. But it looks like he was rescued by the Rangers," his friend, a boy of Mexican descent, answered.

"Hey, Rocky, Adam!" The two boys turned at the sound of their names being called.

"Hey, Kinwan," Rocky responded.

"Hey, what's all the commotion about?" Kinwan questioned.

"New slaves were brought in. I think one's been reunited with his friends," Rocky answered.

"You mean like how we were reunited with Aisha?" Adam queried. Rocky was about to answer, but was interrupted.

"Hey, I heard my name. You guys must've been talking about me," a voice teased. They turned to see their friend.

"Hey, girl," the boys greeted, and Adam took the girl in a hug. Oh, he still couldn't believe she was here and that she was safe! Aisha reveled in the warmth of her friend's hug.

"Oh, I missed you guys," she told them.

"We missed you two. We've been so worried. We heard you ran," came the response. She nodded. Kinwan cleared his throat.

"Come on. A meeting's been called," Kinwan told them. The three nodded and they followed him. When they got there, the meeting was already in session. The four found empty spaces and sat down.

"With Dark Specter's death, the Alliance is reeling. We should strike soon-while they're still scrambling for direction," a man said.

"I agree. They're weak and they don't trust this Darkonda creature," Astronema stated.

"Do you have any ideas?" Kinwan asked.

"We strike tonight-at different camps, small teams," Astronema proposed.

"You're saying divide and conquer," Ashley realized.

"Exactly," Astronema confirmed.

"It's a reasonable plan. We'd just have to make sure that there's a large enough group so that we don't get overwhelmed," Carlos said.

"Of course," the others agreed. Then, they went on making their plans. When they were done, they went their separate ways. Then, when the time came, everyone broke off into their assigned groups and then snuck away.


	11. Chapter Eleven

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Dark Yellow Ranger: I will, thanks.

Alex B. Goode (Chs 1, 10): Thanks. I'm glad you like it. Thanks.

JasonLeeScottFan: You'll see. Read on and see. No problem. Sorry this isn't fast enough.

DISCLAIMER

Power Rangers belongs to Haim Saban, Fox Kids, and Disney. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize. In the narration, I'm changing it from "Astronema" to "Karone".

The Blue Ranger led his team towards their target.

"Remember, we'll have to move fast," he reminded. Tommy and Katherine nodded.

"Tommy, I'm kind of scared," she whispered.

"Me too. But we can do this," he responded in the same tone. In the Yellow Ranger's group, Billy and Trini had had a similar conversation.

"Are you two ready?" the Yellow Ranger asked.

"Affirmative," Billy and Trini chorused. She motioned for her group to split up and they did so. In different parts of the compound, the other Rangers made other similar movements. Divatox fumed as slaves fought her Piranhatrons.

"DESTROY THEM!" she yelled. Her minions rushed at the group. Soon, yells filled the air as intense fighting broke out. Each of the Rangers led their group against a member of the Alliance. At first, it seemed that the Resistance was no match for the vast army that was the Alliance, but slowly, but surely, they advanced and one-by-one, Rita, Zedd, Goldar, Scorpina, the Machine Empire, Divatox, and countless other villains were pushed back. Jason, Rocky, Adam, and Aisha moved behind Karone, who followed the Red Ranger. Suddenly, the Red Ranger put up a hand, causing them to halt.

"What is it?" Karone asked.

"Piranhatrons. Divatox is close," the Red Ranger answered. Jason stiffed. Divatox? For a moment, all he could remember was the feel of her hands all over his body. _No_, he thought to himself.

"Hey, you all right, man?" Rocky asked. He didn't know the boy real well, but he could tell that Divatox was a bad memory for him.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I can do this. She's not my Mistress anymore," Jason responded. Karone glanced over her shoulder. She wanted to reach out and comfort him, but no one knew about their relationship yet and she didn't want to cause infighting that would break up the Resistance. Seeing the look in Karone's eyes, Jason nodded. He knew what she was thinking: he could read it in her eyes. He flashed her a smile to let her know that he understood. Divatox's eyes darkened as the Piranhatrons were pushed back. How could this have happened? Why wasn't she receiving any help? Suddenly, her eyes locked on one of the group. Her lips curved into an evil grin. _Pet_, she thought to herself. As her minions fought, she made her way through the melee, honing in on Jason.

"Jason, behind you!" At Karone's shout, Jason turned around. _No_, he thought to himself. His mind told him to fight, but his body wouldn't obey. It couldn't. Even now, seeing the woman sent a wave of fear coursing through his body.

"Pet," she said.

"I'm not your pet," he managed to choke out. She reached out to strike him, but Rocky kicked her back.

"Thanks," he breathed. "I-I thought I could handle her."

"No problem." They continued to fight. In different parts of the Alliance base, the Rangers and the Resistance each destroyed a member of the Alliance until only Divatox and her troops were left.

"Jason and I will take the Piranhatrons," Karone stated.

"Right," Jason said and they went to work. Suddenly, there was an explosion! Everyone turned around in surprise.

"Darkonda!" Divatox squealed in delight. _Finally! Someone's giving me a hand_, she thought to herself.

"Well, everyone else has been destroyed, so I thought I'd lend a helping hand…for a price of course," Darkonda responded.

"Just destroy them!" Divatox shouted. "But the leave Pet to me." Jason's eyes clouded as she advanced and he backed up nervously. Darkonda started for them but the Red Ranger let electricity flow from his Spiral Saber and then thrust it at him.

"NOOOOOO! I WAS ON MY LAST LIFE!" he shouted right before exploding. Divatox let out a huff and turned to them. She fired lasers from her eyes, knocking the group to the ground. She advanced in Jason's direction, keeping up the attack.

"You brought this on yourself, Pet. If you had come back to me after I discovered Astronema's trick, this wouldn't be necessary," she told him. _Don't be afraid of her. She's not your Mistress anymore. She has no control_, he thought. He ducked the attack, and then let out a kick, knocking her back. As soon as his foot made contact, it was as if something had snapped inside of him. Once he attacked, he couldn't stop. He punched and kicked the woman, giving her barely enough time to let out another attack. _So…the Pet has gotten some backbone, has he?_ She thought to herself. Her eyes darkened. **That** was unacceptable. She shot the lasers out of her eyes, hitting him and knocking him down. With a laugh, she placed a foot on his chest.

"You're finished." With that, she fixed her gaze upon him. Jason couldn't help but tremble. He remembered all too well what punishment was coming, and knew that she wouldn't stop until he was dead. Her eyes became a bright red and the beams headed in his direction.

"NOOO!" Before anyone could stop her, Karone reverted to her "Astronema" form, grabbed her Wrath Staff, and let energy flow from it, enveloping Divatox, knocking her back. Jason rolled out of the way and was helped up by Rocky and Aisha. She screamed and turned around.

"TRAITOR!" she screeched, falling to the ground. She tried to summon her own power, but was kept pinned. Jason watched as she slowly disintegrated. Soon after, the Piranhatrons were also destroyed.

"Is everyone okay?" Andros asked as he de-morphed.

"Yeah, we're good," Jason answered.

"I can't believe Astronema defected," Rocky said in disbelief. "

"Yeah, I thought you were just another slave," Adam said.

"Why didn't you tell us who you were?" Aisha wondered.

"I wasn't sure if it would cause dissension among the Resistance and didn't want to take the chance," Karone answered.

"That makes sense," Adam stated. Then, they headed back to the Astro Megaship, where they all headed back to a safe house. Once there, the Rangers met up with each other as did the freed slaves.

"So, what are we going to do? I mean, about school and stuff," Justin said.

"Well, the schools and other buildings were all destroyed at the beginning of the enslavement, so until we get them up and running, I'll program Deca for elementary and high school courses," Zhane answered.

"I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I'm actually looking forward to it," Jason commented with a grin.

"Anything to be normal, right?" Karone asked, coming to stand beside him. He shot her a mock-angry look, but didn't reply. Then, there wasn't a chance to say anything more as his friends came up to him and surrounded him in a hug.

SEVERAL MONTHS LATER

Jason closed his textbook, stood up, grabbed his books, and headed for his next class.

"Hey, Jason! Wait up!" a voice called. He slowed and turned to see Tommy.

"Hey, what's up, man?" he asked.

"Nothin' much. Just on my way to Math class," Tommy replied. Jason groaned.

"Hate that subject." The two boys laughed as they continued on their way. After the Alliance had been killed, the Rangers and their allies had immediately begun rebuilding schools and other buildings. Angel Grove High had been among the first to be completed and students had quickly been enrolled, including, but not limited to: Jason, Zack, Trini, Kimberly, Billy, Tommy, Rocky, Adam, Aisha, Katherine, Tanya, Andros, Cassie, TJ, Ashley, Zhane, Carlos, and Justin who proved to be extremely bright. All of them had become good friends, especially Tommy and Jason. Tommy went to his Math class, while Jason went to a History class, where he sat down between Trini and Adam. Then, he focused on the teacher. As the day progressed, Jason just focused on the classes, relishing the feel of doing something normal. Things were good now. After the school day was done, they all met at the beach and sat at a table. Presently, Karone, Andros, Zhane, and the rest of the Rangers came up to them. Tommy laid a hand on Kim's hand and they leaned over and kissed.

"Hey, baby," Karone greeted, coming to sit next to Jason.

"Hey, Karone," Jason responded, and they shared a quick kiss.

"Man, I still can't believe you're dating your former Mistress," Rocky said with a shake of his head.

"He's not calling me that anymore," Karone corrected.

"Well, not outsides the bedroom anyway," Jason muttered in her ear. She laughed and shushed him. The group looked at them and rolled their eyes, though Andros looked a bit perturbed. A waitress came up to take their order, and then walked away after receiving the requests. A few minutes later, she returned with their meals. Jason looked at the group and grinned. They were all finally free.

THE END


End file.
